How to : take picture of northern lights

No one will denied the chance to take a picture of northern lights when they could have one. But to take a really nice one could be tricky somehow. Theoritically, you can take one, even if you only have a compact camera with you (of course, there is always a limit for what a compact camera could do ). Anyhow, whatever camera you have, the one that you mustn't forget to have with you is a TRIPOD (preferably a sturdy one).

If you are using a compact camera, then, accesories you will need to worry about are the tripod and extra batteries. However, if you own a D-SLR, then you will start to make a list of things you need or "might want to consider" to have with you during this photo session.
- a lens with a nice aperture (preferably wide angle (max. 28mm) with the biggest aperture possible, around 1.8-2.8)
- remote control (so you don't need to touch your camera with your shaky fingers)
- a "huge" memory card
- a sturdy tripod
- extra batteries (in the cold weather conditions, the battery will be "used up" a lot more faster)

I won't go into the details about what you should wear, but I did wear clothes like if I want to do the exploration in the heart of the antartic (4 layers of clothes, plus a super warm boots, wind stopper gloves and warm hat). But honestly, taking picture when you were on sea is a lot warmer than if you were inland, but one thing for sure, a tight pair of jeans is not recommended for this activity, unless you want to catch cold.

If you were inland, you can put your camera on the AV mode even better if you are comfortable to work manually. The problem with the AV is since your camera works based on the aperture you choose, sometimes it takes away your liberty by giving you a long-pause (30 seconds), unless you want to harm your picture with the very high ISO (above 1600 ISO which I won't recommended to do so considering the noise which will presents on the picture later on). Since the object of our picture is the northern light which is far on the sky, then manual setting will be perfect, well, it will required some works at the beginning, and after that, it's you to choose the aperture and duration, of course ISO too. We don't really need to care about the auto focus, I will say, turn off the AF on your lens, and let it works with MF instead (put it to the infinity). My aperture preferance is 11, and I'll try to keep it on 15 - 20 seconds pause. Well, some people will tell you make it to 30 seconds, but let me say this, the northern lights' dance is depends on when the winds blows, so does the intensity, so when  you put your camera on a too long-pause you might risk to lose some of the movement (if it moves to the other side), or if it disappear all of sudden. No one can guarantee how long it will appear, and how big the size could be. It's part of mother nature, no one could give a fixed order for the appearance of the northern lights.

Above is the case if you try to take picture of the northern lights inland. Most of the challange will be if you are on sea. Imagine, that not only the northern light which will move, but also you, and worse, you can't even control the speed and movement of the boat (unless you are the captain of your own LOL). But this tricky condition could be mitigate with the TV mode on your camera. Depends on the lighting on the sea, but I will say, for the best result, try to keep your ISO between 800-1600, your speed shutter at 4-5 seconds pause, as inland, put your lens to the manual focus to infinity. In land, you might have a chance to use the ISO as low as 200 since you will have snow around you to reflect the light, however, on sea, in the other way around, you could only depends on the moon lit as your light sources.

Other thing I would like to add, since we can't really predict how long the dance would last, I strongly suggest everyone no need to check on pictures they just took on their LCD too much. Why? Because you will certainly wasting your precious time and you will used up your battery life. I took all my northern lights' picture on RAW file, not because JPEG file won't give you a bad result, the problem is, when you encounter lighting problems with your picture, then RAW will serve you the best by the time of editing.

I tried to put as many information as possible on this post. However, I am sure, I missed something on the way. If you have any question, please don't hesitate to write to me - right as comment, or to my email pyongbricole@gmail.com , I am not a genius, but I will certainly try to answer your question on my best.

*_* NOVITA

Hunting The Light - Part V (Journey Up North Part II)

In this part, I will reveal two important things : my encounter with Ms. Boreale, and my favorite parts on Polarlys.

So, let's talk about Ms. Boreale first. I just finished with my dinner, I haven't even touched the dessert (how bad was that...let's my dessert wasted...darn), and we heared the announcement that "there were northern lights appear on the sky", I grabbed my camera and tripod which I carried with me to the restaurant (how freaky I was), but I left the most imporant thing behind...my jacket, but that's the detail, I ran to out to the passage on the 5th floor (the restaurant was on the 4th floor) asked everyone to excuse me if I blocked their view or stepped on their feet, took my place and started to take pictures. After sometimes, I started to shake and that's the time I realized I was taking picture in the artic circle without any jacket on me, duhhhh..............anyhow, I took about 200 pictures of it (how lucky I was, Ms. Boreale was in the good mood so she made the appearance for about 2.5 hours on and off), even though only a fraction of them I really like.

Now, about my favorite parts on Polarlys. I like the cafetaria area, because they have the best hot chocolate and waffle. Prices on the cafetaria were quite descent if you compare with the price at Tromso (don't compare with prices on your home country, then you will let yourself starving in Norway). A cup of hot chocolate for 26 NOK, and about the same for a hot waffle fresh from the maker ;)

I also love the passage on the 5th floor. I could make the tour around the boat without anything obstruct my view. What I experienced with the massive cruise ship is that, I always have to find my way to get to the place where I could take picture without anything that blocked my view, and without the marked of restricted area...ugh.

If there is anyone on the polarlys that will hate me, I think it'll be the lady on the tourist advisory desk. I kept disturb her with the question about "how's the chance for me to see Ms. Boreale tonight?" LOL...I believe she felt relieved when I left the boat.

During our stop at Honningsvag, I went out for the excursion to the Nordkapp with other passangers. It's an hour bus ride from Honningsvag to the Nordkapp, which based on Francesco Negri was the end of the world. We're quite lucky because the weather was "nice" on that day, so I still had about 10 minutes of "sunlight" to take pictures with when we arrived there.

(to be continued...)

Hunting The Light - Part III (I was doomed)

My main reason to go to Northern Norway in the winter was simply to take picture of the northern light a.k.a Aurora Boréale. I had contacted couple of people who could provides me with the "Chasing the Northern Light" tour, bought all equipments I might need during that "chasing" part, and worse, got super excited with what I will see based on the story I read on blogs and internet.

When the day of my "chasing mother nature" activity arrived, I got a bit jumpy, typical highschool student who will got her first-time date LOL. First bad sign, the sky was covered :( Even though it was "dark" all day, I still could tell when it's a clear or cloudy sky in Tromso (for this, I felt I was cool enough LOL), second sign, the guy who should gave me a company, Gorran, he couldn't show up, so he replaced by his friend, Ygor. When we started to drive and stopped in the middle of nowhere, I felt the gust of the wind around me wasn't typical what Ms. Aurora Boréale would like best, it's too gusty. But Ygor told us, no worry, he was contacting his friends, and they found some clearing spots somewhere around the E6. Then we drove again, but I started feel suspicious with what I will achieved that night. Couple hours later, he told us, we almost reached the border with Finland, so he though there were no use for us to continue, and that's the end of the super adventure for "chasing the northern light", FREAK!

(to be continued...)

Hunting the Light (Part I - Arrival in Tromso)

Some people think, still until now, I am a bit strange, while people try to avoid the cold, I was looking for one, with my idea to travel to the northern most part of the europe. But I am kind of "snow" girl type, I love cold, especially snow, and I am not a big fans of sunlight, so this trip should be perfect for me.

Begun with "late" train to Geneva airport, thanks to the so-called "accident" in Geneva city, my train was 20 minutes late, and I was already tight for my check-in time. The line in front of the SAS was so long, I was afraid if I will be the one who delayed my flight LOL. But I made it, the lady gave me all the documents I need, checked my luggage (half hearted) - my camera bag was about 15 kgs (about 33 lbs), she wasn't very happy to let me carried it with me but she couldn't bear the consequences either if I let her checked my camera's bag.

So, it was a super long trip for me, I started with my flight from Geneva at 11.55 am, and finished at Tromso at 7.30 pm. The exact route is Geneva - Copenhagen - Oslo - Tromso, and all with Scandinavian Airlines (darn...I forgot to give my star alliances FQTV number!! Will do later).

The stop at Copenhagen was quite fast, just had enough time to got my Coffee Mocha from Starback at the transit. Then, I hurried to the gate to caught my flight for Oslo, while during this flight I said good bye to the sunlight for the next week.

"I said good bye to the sunlight on my way to Oslo"

As ruled, all international passangers had to carry out our own checked luggages and drop it back on the check-in area. So basically I had to pass the custom area (with no one care what I did) and drop my bag on the check-in area, and did all the creepy security check all over again.

I should say, Oslo airport wasn't as what I had expected. It's quite small and "empty" per say for the international airport of one of the richest country in the world, thanks to their oil deposit. Finally, I decided to change more of the Norwegian Krones and hurried to my gate which is only 20 meters away from the money changer LOL.

I was quite lucky, in all my flights (except from Geneva - Copenhagen), I had a very nice neighbour who like to share some stories with me. The nicest one I got was for my flight to Tromso, the final flight. I forgot her name, but she was a Kenyan now living and working in Norway. She explained lots of things for me about Tromso, including where to go, what to do, etc. She even shown me the beauty of Oslo from our window just before the flight landed.

I should say, the first time I saw Tromso from the sky, that's the time when I fell in love with it. It's beautiful, one of the most beautiful place I ever saw in my life. Seriously, I even thought it's prettier than Swiss Alps LOL.

So we arrived at the airport, I hurried to one of the luggage belt (there were only two, so it wasn't give me too much trouble to find mine LOL), grabbed my luggage and got to the Flybuss which will took me to the city center (Sentrum) in 10 minutes and cost me NOK 55 - best of all ,the bus stop is right in front of my hotel - Rica Ishavhotel.


(To be continued...)